Emotional Distress

Emotional distress is a far more common problem than many people realise. Many people try very hard to fit in, to be like everyone else. In doing so, they often ignore or push away their own needs, in particular their emotional needs. This is how society is geared. This is how children are reared - to put others first, without honouring their own individuality.

Noble as this may sound, it creates enormous stress and often the only way out is to numb ourselves.

We are born to experience a diverse and often complex array of emotions. This is normal, natural and very healthy. But in our unhealthy society, this can be uncomfortable and confronting and we may be dubbed 'weird' or worse when we express them.

In suppressing the uncomfortable emotions, we also inevitably suppress those at the other end of the scale - the delight, the heartfelt pleasure, the childlike wonder of discovery. In effect we become robots. Our lives take on a never ending greyness.

In an attempt to deal with life without accepting, honouring and allowing our emotions expression, many turn to distractions. Often these become addictions in time - over eating, alcohol, smoking, shopping, incessant talking and other obsessive behaviours.